Hear the Silence
by SoTurnRight
Summary: Sometimes when the heart breaks, you can hear the silence. Mitchie believes she is all alone. She doesn't know how much more she can take. But is she really alone? Could the answer to her problem be right in front of her?
1. In the darkness, Hear the silence

He wasn't here. Mitchie raised her head from the table wearily, scanning the room yet again. He wasn't there. She sighed, dropping her head again.

_Thunk._

He'd promised to stay right with her throughout this. He'd promised to help her whenever, with whatever she needed. She needed him.

_Groan._

She knew she had changed, and quite frankly, she didn't care. No one else did, so why should she? Was there really anything to live for, anyway?

_Tick._

Mitchie signalled the waiter and ordered her meal not glancing at the menu. It didn't matter what it was she had ordered. Everything tasted the same anyway.

_Gulp._

Mitchie ate in silence, nodding occasionally at the people who waved at her. She didn't know who they were, and she wouldn't be bothered to remember them.

_Swallow._

Mitchie slid her credit card to the waiter, and gathered her things. Another day. Another day to have people shout at her, call her name, take her picture.

_Click._

Mitchie started her car, and absently stared at the steering wheel a moment. She was alone. And she refused to go home to an empty house.

_Sigh._

The house was empty. She was alone. Her family was dead, all of them in a car accident the year before. She was alone.

_Ding._

Her phone rang with a text. Startled, she glanced at it, reading the text in a glance. It was just a Twitter notification.

_Hum._

The car purred as she pulled into the studio parking lot. She climbed out, slid her card in the door, and walked through the doors easily. She opened the door to her studio.

_Whoosh._

She smiled as she saw the screen saver. Camp Rock. She had gotten signed after the second year. Before everything went wrong.

_Beep._

The computer beeped, indicating readiness to record. She slipped off her heels, and went into the studio, turning on her mike.

_Breath._

The backing track of her new single began to play, and she sang. Black tears ran down her face, and her entire body trembled.

_Sob._

Her voice cracked, and she immediately stopped. Still trembling. She pressed a button on the remote, and the track began again.

_Scratch._

Mitchie winced, her voice raw from singing. She turned off the system, hearing the whirring of the machines as they slowed. Exhausted, she climbed onto the couch.

_Squeak._

The door cracked open, but Mitchie didn't notice. Already sound asleep, she lay curled up on the simple sofa. He peeked around the corner.

_Swish._

He quietly closed the door behind him. Quickly glancing at Mitchie, he slipped into the office, viewing the history on the machines.

_Buzz._

She'd been singing for almost five hours straight. He tiptoed to the couch, and gently slipped Mitchie's head into his lap, running his fingers through her dark hair.

_Clunk_.

The ring on his finger hit the pins in her hair, and he paused, uncertain. Mitchie stirred, curling into a smaller ball.

_Mmm._

Mitchie began moving in her sleep, and he rubbed her shoulder soothingly. She half-screamed, and jerked awake.

_Scream._

Eyes wide, panting, she sat up. Staring at him in disbelief, she asked, "Nate?"


	2. If you want me to, I can save you

Nate rubbed his neck, and gave her a gentle half-smile. Mitchie simply stared at him, eyes wide and brows raised, questioningly.

"See, Mitchie, um. I was in the studio and uh, see, I just…" Nate trailed off, his cheeks burning. Mitchie stared at him in disbelief. The boy who had written hit single after hit single couldn't explain himself. Definitely a first. Nate opened his mouth to explain again.

"Wait." Mitchie spoke up, her voice raspy and cracking, "How did you know I was here?" She stood up, and her body trembled.

Nate took in her flushed face, red eyes and violent trembling. He stood up from the couch, and led her back to sit down. "Mitchie. You're sick."

"I'm fine." Mitchie's eyes flashed at him. She leaned against the couch, and sighed heavily. "I'm just fine, Nate. So you can leave now."

"Nuh-uh. Sorry, not happening. I can take you home, or I can take you to the hospital. You can take your pick." Nate leaned against the door of the studio, and grinned at her. "So, princess, what'll it be?"

"Nate..." Mitchie groaned, and buried her head in her hands.

"No, Mitchie. You are not staying here another night. Pick, or I'll pick for you." Nate's voice dropped to a stage whisper, "And if I have to pick, it'll probably be the hospital. You look like you could fall over any minute."

"Home." Mitchie glared at him for a moment, and stumbled towards the door. She sighed loudly. "Nate, you have to move."

"Mitchie. " Nate looked her in the eyes, and accepted the look of hopelessness. Mitchie huffed angrily. Nate suddenly swept her off her feet and carried her bridal style out of the building.

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5," Nate counted under his breath, walking through the doorway and into the elevator. Seconds later, Mitchie began squirming in his arms. He tightened his hold.

"I'm too heavy! Put me down, or..." Mitchie trailed off, a murderous look in her eyes. Nate chuckled, but stepped out of the elevator, and through the automatic doors into the parking lot. He unlocked his car and set Mitchie down. He opened the car door, and waited for her to climb in.

"Why can't I take my car?" Mitchie sat down in the seat, trembling visibly.

"Because any officer in his right mind would assume you're drunk right now." Nate shut her door, and went around to the driver's side.

Nate shut off the car engine in front of the huge house. He turned to look at Mitchie, and smiled to see her already half asleep. He opened her door and gathered her into his arms, tightening them as her eyelids fluttered. He pushed open the front door, and set Mitchie down on the nearest sofa. He covered her with a nearby throw blanket, and Mitchie huddled close in its warmth. Nate rested his hand on Mitchie's forehead and his eyes widened at the heat.

Five minutes later, Nate gently shook Mitchie's shoulder. She lazily opened her eyes, and Nate helped her sit up. He handed her a glass of water and two white pills. She swallowed them down quickly, and quickly lay down again.

"Mitchie? Mitchie? Hey, babe?" Nate called Mitchie's name softly hours later, failing to win her attention. Sighing, he picked up his cellphone. "Hey, Mom? I need your help."


	3. And your slow shaking fingertips

Mitchie opened her eyes. The beeping was about to drive her crazy. Sitting up, she quickly got dizzy and laid down again. Sighing, she opened her eyes again, and blinked at the white walls and flashing television.

"Mitchie?" Mitchie jumped, and she turned her head to see Denise Gray sitting beside the bed with a book in her hand. Her eyes widened.

"I..." Mitchie's voice rasped and cracked, "Where am I?" She swallowed hard, one hand on her aching throat.

"Dear, you're in the hospital. Nate called me last night, and said that you were...well, sick. We brought you in late last night after we couldn't get you to regain consciousness. You gave us a big scare." Denise smiled at her reassuringly, and Mitchie laid her aching head down on the pillow.

Nate walked into the room quietly and motioned to his mom. She left, and he took her place silently. Mitchie turned her head, surprised to suddenly see Nate in his mom's spot.

"Hi." Her voice rasped, and she half-smiled.

"You don't remember last night at all do you?" Nate cut straight to the point. Mitchie blinked owlishly.

"Not after falling asleep on the couch at the studio." Mitchie's voice cracked painfully, "Tell me what's wrong with me."

"I think you need to go back to sleep." Nate adjusted the blanket around Mitchie and noticed she was trembling violently.

"You will tell me what's wrong with me, or you will not leave this room alive. Now tell me." Mitchie's eyes narrowed at Nate and he backed away from the bed slowly, hands raised in defeat. Mitchie began to sit up in bed wincing with pain and trembling with weakness.

"Fine. When we brought you in, you were unconscious. You had run a very high fever for probably a very long time. Your immune system is completely decimated. Your lymph nodes are swollen beyond belief. They're testing you for internal infections, mono, and a ton of other things that I can't remember. They're giving you an anti-depressant, three antibiotics, and all your liquids through your IV."

Nate finished, bringing his gaze from the floor to Mitchie's face. He sat beside her on the bed, gently running his hand through her hair, and wiping the lone tear from her face.

"Hey, hey. You're gonna be okay." Nate soothed, scooting closer to Mitchie, and pulled her into his arms. Mitchie sniffled, and sighed. "What's the matter, princess?"

"Why do you always call me princess?" Mitchie asked. Nate's surprise showed on his face. She disentangled herself from his arms, and lay back down on the pillows again, still holding his hand tightly.

"Not happening. The subject remains the same. You're skinnier than I've ever seen you, the circles beneath your eyes are purple and black, and you can't sit up you're so weak. Mitchie, your eyes...they just don't sparkle anymore." Nate sighed and stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "Just tell me what's wrong. Let me fix it."

"Nate, you can't fix it. I...can't tell you." Mitchie turned her face away, but the sobs tore through her body anyway. He ran a hand through her hair once more, and then kissed her forehead. Standing, he quietly left the room.

Nate walked out of the hospital and kicked the stone wall in the garden. He shoved his hands in his pockets and sobs jerked through his body.


	4. I can't force these eyes to see the end

Nate pulled out his phone and glared at it. He pressed the call button, and huffed when the lazy voice answered. "Hello?"

"Do you know what you did to her?" Nate growled out, grinding his teeth in anger. "I hope you don't. Because if you did know, and could still live with yourself...I'd be ashamed to call you my brother. This is just to let you know that Mitchie, you know, your brother's ex-girlfriend? She's in the hospital. And. It's. All. Your. Fault." Nate ended the call and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. Glancing up at the window of Mitchie's room his shoulder slumped, and his eyes teared up. Murmuring to himself, he sighed. "You can make it, princess. You just gotta try."

Mitchie opened her eyes slowly, and realized she must have cried herself to sleep. The corners of her eyes were raw with her tears and bloody from her rubbing at them. She glanced at the empty chair beside the bed and found Nate, his shoulders rigid. The machine beeped loudly and he drew his hand across his face as he turned around. "Am I really that bad?" Mitchie asked timidly as Nate gave her a tired smile.

"You're gonna be fine." Nate smiled again but his blood-shot eyes and shaking hands spoke to Mitchie more than his words. "The doctors say that you have some serious internal infections going on. They're giving you lots of antibiotics."

"I think I'm hungry. Do you think we could get some food?" Mitchie asked softly, rubbing at her eyes again.

"You're hungry? That's good, I think. Let me see what I can find. Is it okay if I leave you in here alone for a minute?" Nate's face stretched into a pained smile. After Mitchie nodded he smiled again and left to find food.

Nate hummed as he carried the bag of food and drink carrier toward Mitchie's room. He was itching to get his guitar and get this song worked out of his head and onto paper. He swung open the door and closed it behind him. Turning to the table, he froze when he heard Mitchie's sobs behind him. "Princess?"

"Nate." The gruff voice came from behind him and Nate spun around immediately. His face tightened and his fists clenched.

"Leave. Now. I don't care why you're here or what you think you're doing. Just leave." He was hot and cold all at once, and his face flushed with anger. "Get out!"

The man stood up slowly. He darted a glance towards a weeping Mitchie and a furious Nate and walked out of the room slowly. The door clicked behind him.

Nate waited a moment before opening the door after him and escaping into the garden. He kicked a stone so hard it flew over the wrought iron fence. Pain shot through his foot and he limped back to the bench inside. He sat down and cried. For Mitchie. For himself. For his brother. For all of them.

An hour later he and Mitchie had finished their food. Both of their eyes were bloodshot, and neither made any pretense of talking. Mitchie curled into Nate's shoulder as he sat beside her on the bed. Her head dropped down, and soon she was asleep.

Nate stared into space for hours. The sky grew dark and the stars shone brightly through the window. He didn't move a muscle for fear of waking Mitchie. And then sobs began jerking through her body. Tears were pouring down on her face and her hands gripped Nate's shirt tightly. "Mitchie...Mitchie!" Nate shook her gently, to no avail. "Mitchie, it's just a dream. Princess..."

Mitchie sat up, suddenly awake with images still running through her mind. She found herself clinging to someone and she pushed away hurriedly. She burrowed beneath the blankets. Nate gently rubbed her back.

"Baby, I promise it'll be okay. I promise." With that, he kissed the top of her head and laid down next to her. She let him draw her into his arms and they fell asleep holding each other close.


	5. I think I'm in love, but you can't know

"Nate." Mitchie shook Nate's shoulder gently, trying to wake him up. Finally Nate lazily opened his eyes.

"Huh? What time is it?" Nate's voice cracked, and he ran his hand through his hair as he sighed.

"It's noon. Your phone has been ringing for the past hour and a half, I think." Mitchie yawned, and settled back into her pillows. Nate glanced at her, smiling a little. He grabbed his phone off the nightstand and sat up.

"I have 38 missed calls, 15 voicemails and 76 texts!" Nate's face scrunched in confusion. "I have no idea what's going on."

"You never went home. Your mom probably doesn't know where you are." Mitchie smiled at him teasingly and leaned back on the pillows.

"I told her I would stay with you...crap! I have an interview and photo shoot...in like 20 minutes! I'm gonna be late! This is not good. This is so not good." Nate began freaking out as he jumped out of bed. He paced the room as he placed a call to his assistant. "Listen, Emma, I may be a bit late for my interview this afternoon. Do you think you could let them know? I'll be there as soon as I can."

"I'm sorry." Mitchie's eyes were wide as she sunk back into the pillows.

"Mitchie..." Nate sighed and he came to the side of the bed again, "Princess, this is not your fault. Don't go blaming yourself for this. This is just me forgetting. I'll come back as soon as it's over." Nate kissed her forehead and smiled at her gently before grabbing his bag and sprinting into the bathroom. A minute later, he emerged dressed and ready to go, car keys in hand. "Bye Princess!"

"We have to talk when you get back, Nate." Mitchie looked at him seriously. Then she smiled tiredly, "Good luck."

Nate smiled at her in return and closed the door behind him softly. He sprinted down the hallway and out the back door, sliding into his car and starting the car in one smooth motion.

The door slammed behind him hours later as he entered Mitchie's hospital room. He sighed to find her half-asleep, the TV blaring, iPod in her ears, phone in her hand. Her eyes fluttered open slowly and she stared at the sight of him flushed and angry. Nate slammed a chair down and sat in it.

"Let's _talk._ Let's start here: you passed out, and you didn't even call me? Two, you were unconscious for almost an hour and no one thought to tell me? Mitchie, are you even kidding me? What was your doctor thinking? Was he even thinking? Ugh!" Nate flushed angrily, and he stood and paced. Suddenly he stopped and plopped down in the chair again. Raking his hands down his face, he sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just...I care so much about you. I want to know when this happens. It's a big deal to me."

Mitchie sighed, and wiped a tear away from her cheek. "I'm sorry." She whispered brokenly. Nate sighed heavily.

"Scoot over." Mitchie complied silently, and Nate climbed in beside her. "Princess," Nate whispered gently against her hair, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It just seems like...every time I leave something happens to you. I'm...just...I care about you." He sighed, and kissed her head. She turned and buried her head in his chest as a lone sob escaped.

"I hate him." Mitchie whispered into his chest. "I hate him! I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him. I hate this, I hate me, I hate him, I hate it. You haven't been home in two days. You constantly have to be here with me. I don't think you've slept well for almost a week. And, _he_ did it." Mitchie buried her head into his chest farther.

"I'm sorry." Nate whispered softly.

"It's. Not. Your. Fault! I hate that you have to be sorry. I hate that I was in love with your brother. I hate that I'm the reason that he's dead!" Mitchie's sobs came in full force and Nate tightened his hold on her.

"Mitchie, Shane isn't dead because of you." Nate murmured softly. Mitchie just sobbed harder.

"Yes. He is."


	6. If I told you, would you stay?

Mitchie's sobs quieted but Nate still held her close. Stroking her hair gently, he shifted their position to lean against the pillows stacked against the wall. "Mitchie. We need to talk." Mitchie sat up slowly and wiped her eyes. She sighed.

"Yeah." Mitchie's head dropped slowly. "Why do you call me Princess?" Mitchie murmured, her voice still choked with tears.

"Look, let me have my say. Then I'll tell you whatever you need to know, okay?" Nate sighed at Mitchie's mute nod. "Um, let's start with Shane." Mitchie tensed visibly and her face paled. "Mitchie...Princess, it wasn't your fault. I know you two fought that night and I know Shane was upset. But Shane didn't commit suicide." Mitchie drew in her breath sharply, surprise breaking over her features.

"He...He didn't?" Mitchie's face scrunched up into confusion. Nate shook his head.

"No. Shane was hit by a drunk driver. The impact killed him instantly. The other guy is still in jail for what he did, Mitchie. You couldn't control that." Nate's voice broke and he paused for a moment. "I...Mitchie, what did Jason say at the funeral that day?"

Mitchie sniffed gently and let out a long sigh. "He told me...that it was my fault that Shane was dead. That if I hadn't said what I did Shane would still be alive. He told me that I was a slut and that Shane hadn't ever loved me. That Shane wanted to break up with me but he didn't know how. Shane...Shane had told him that from the..." Mitchie stopped haltingly to brush the tears coursing down her cheeks. "From the beginning that he was just using me."

Nate wrapped his arms around the broken girl. Tears were running down both their faces. "Mitchie, it's not true. Not any of it." Nate began to sob quietly and held Mitchie that much closer. "Why did you believe him?" Mitchie's sobs shuddered through her body.

She choked out, "Because he's your _brother_, Nate. He was supposed to know Shane better than me. We'd only been dating for a year. I was only 16. How...How..." Mitchie let a sob escape and tried to control her breathing.

"How were you supposed to know." Nate finished for her quietly.

"Yeah." Mitchie pulled away from him slowly. She looked him in the eye and swallowed her tears. She brushed at her cheeks. "What was I supposed to do about it? I didn't know...who to ask or what to do. And...then my...family." Mitchie hid her face in her hands sobbing brokenly. Nate wordlessly picked her up out of the bed setting her gently on the couch near it. He turned her to face him, and lifted her chin, wiping her face of her tears.

"Mitch-" Mitchie silenced him with a finger on his lips.

"Just...wait a minute. There's something else." Mitchie turned her head away from him and tried to gather her composure. "Jason ran me off at Shane's funeral, so, um yeah. But, Nate do you remember what you told me that day?"

Nate's mind went back to a rainy Monday almost 37 months ago. He cringed silently.

_Nate hesitantly approached the weeping girl. The funeral was about to start, and he knew he only had a few minutes. "Mitchie?" Nate rested a hand on her shoulder, and was startled when she turned and hugged him tightly. He choked back the tears welling in his eyes and held her tightly. _

"_Look, I know...we aren't best friends or anything. But, Shane..." Nate stopped, his tears choking out the words. He roughly cleared his throat. "Well, uh, if you need anything let me know, okay? I...I'm not Shane. But, I'll do the best I can." Nate's voice broke and his head dropped to Mitchie's shoulder. "The best I can. I promise. What-" He sniffed. "Whatever you need." Mitchie nodded against his shoulder. Nate squeezed her tightly before letting go. _

_Mitchie tried to smile at him before Nate turned around to sit with his family, tears running down his face. He nodded to Jason, as he too approached Mitchie. _

"I...Mitchie." Nate stumbled over his words ashamed of his actions. He had ignored her calls when it had suited his convenience. He had missed most of the funeral for her family because he had been on his solo tour. He hadn't met for her dinner that night a few days ago. "I...I'm sorry."

Mitchie glanced at him. "I...I know." She sniffed quietly. "Nate, just because you made a promise you can't keep doesn't mean you have to feel sorry for me."

**A/N: :) The plot thickens! This story will wrap up soon...review and let me know what you think! **


	7. In a moment, everything can change

"Mitchie, you wanna know why I call you Princess?" Nate lifted his head, a desperate look in his eye.

"Yeah." Mitchie faced away from him, straightening her bangs out with her fingers, trembling again.

"I hated what they did to you, you know. They took advantage of all your pain to try to make a few more dollars." Nate paused shaking free of the anger. Mitchie laughed bitterly. "But...you told me once that all you wanted was to feel like a princess again." Mitchie closed her eyes, remembering the pain after her family's funeral.

"_Nate, the label wants me to go on tour in a few weeks." Mitchie's voice sounded weak, and Nate knew she'd been crying. He scowled. _

"_It's only been two weeks!" Nate exclaimed thoughtlessly._

"_I know." Mitchie scoffed. "Whatever. I might as well be busy as not." Nate sighed into the phone._

"_Look, Mitchie, that's wrong. Just put your foot down and tell them no. They can't make you do this." Nate was met with silence. After a moment he sighed. "Mitchie?"_

"_All I want...is just to feel like somebody values me again. I just wanna feel like a princess." Mitchie thoughtfully spoke into the phone. Nate wondered if she realized she'd spoken aloud._

"Yeah. I did. That single stayed on top of the charts for almost a year." Mitchie half-smiled at the thought.

"Mitchie! Forget the singles. Forget all of that. Forget the charts. Do you even remember the times you and Shane would go out? When your family would take you on a surprise vacation? When your sister would pick you up early to give you a break from work?" Nate exclaimed, studying the black-haired girl in front of him.

"Nate. Do you remember the first time I called you and you didn't pick up?" Mitchie turned to face him. "That wasn't even me. That was the hospital. It was the first time I was admitted. No one came. Do you even know why I was in? Of course not. You didn't even return the voicemail I sent you later that day." Mitchie's eyes flashed at him, and he winced.

"I was..." Nate began to explain slowly, but Mitchie cut him off.

"I overdosed on sleeping pills." Mitchie's voice trailed off. "The next time, I was in for anorexia. The third time I cut my wrists. The fourth time was the pills again." She glanced at Nate calmly.

"I've tried to kill myself more than a few times. It just never has worked." Mitchie's head dropped, but her eyes were dry when she looked at Nate again.

"You wouldn't pick up the phone." She whispered to him brokenly. Nate bowed his head in shame. They sat in silence for a few moments. "How..." Mitchie stammered a moment before spitting out the rest of the words hurriedly. "How does you calling me Princess change anything?" Nate sighed.

"I know...I wasn't a good friend. I know that I let you down. Over and over. I can't tell you how sorry I am for that. That night...at the recording studio." Nate stopped abruptly. He glanced at Mitchie. She was pale and trembling.

"Why were you there?" Mitchie asked him, curious again. Nate reached over to the bed and grabbed a blanket. He wrapped it around Mitchie's shoulders.

"You'd been recording at night for almost six months." Nate's voice was distant. "I was at the studio late one night and saw you were there. I thought I would drop in and say hi. I felt guilty, but I didn't know what to do about it." He sighed. "You didn't notice when I slipped in. I sat in the office for almost two hours and watched you sing your heart out. I didn't know you had written that many songs. When you came to turn the recording off, I slipped out the other door. I peeked back in five minutes later, and found you asleep on the couch."

"You...were there the whole time?" Mitchie's voice quavered unsteadily.

"I think that must have been the second night you had been there. I would let you fall asleep, and then I would sit with you until early the next morning. I'd leave before you woke up so that you wouldn't know I was there." Nate's voice dropped, ashamed. "I knew you wouldn't want me to be there if you knew."

"But when I called you for dinner that night..." Mitchie looked at him again and trailed off uncertaintly.

"How could...I couldn't face you after seeing you pour your heart out night after night. Mitchie, you have every cause to hate me. Jason told me what he'd told you just a few weeks before you started recording." Nate put his arms around Mitchie and held her close.

"But...the real reason I didn't come was that almost a year and a half later, I listened to that voicemail you sent me." Nate kissed her forehead gently and closed his eyes. "I punched Jason out. I broke his nose. My mom thought I was crazy. I was hysterical." Mitchie's only response was a broken sob.

**A/N: :'( This story is winding down, guys. Only one more chapter. So everyone should review! :D**


	8. Deep inside me, I can be the one

Mitchie pulled away from Nate. She picked up his hands and gently kissed each of them. She ducked her head. "Nate, you need to go home. I'm tearing your family apart. Can't you see that? You've already lost one brother. Do you need to lose another one because of me? Your parents are amazing people. They love you, Nate. They need you too." She wiped her eyes and stared at him resolutely. "Go back home."

"Princess, I don't care what my parents think. They..." Nate sighed. "They almost kicked Jason out the other day. They love you, Mitchie! _I_ love you!" His eyes bore into hers with an intensity that scared her. She dropped her eyes.

"Nate." Mitchie sighed heavily, her shoulders drooping. "Family is a precious, precious thing. Jason hurt me deeply, yes. But...he's your brother. You need him. Your parents need him. They need both of you. Forgive him. Life is too short to hate." Mitchie lifted her face and her eyes glistened with tears. "If I've learned anything in the past three years, it's this: don't take love for granted. It won't always be there. Live life to the fullest." Her shoulders dropped again, and she stood from the sofa. Shakily, she crawled back into the hospital bed. She turned away from Nate.

"Mitchie, don't do this to yourself. Don't push me away when we both know you need me. Don't choose to put yourself through this again." Nate rose from the couch, kneeling beside Mitchie's pillow. She turned her head away from him.

"Just...make things right. Go make it right." Mitchie murmured to him before closing her eyes tightly. Nate sighed. He leaned over her and kissed her cheek.

"I love you, Princess." Nate backed out of the room slowly. Defeated, he gently closed the door behind him.

He walked into the parking lot and pulled out his phone. "Jase? I'm meeting you at the park in ten minutes. I don't care where you are, get there." Nate ended the call abruptly and ran a hand through his hair. "I hope you know I'm doing this for you, Princess." He murmured before pulling out of the parking lot, with one last glance at Mitchie's window.

Mitchie watched Nate pull out of the parking lot with tears running down her face. Hours later she turned to her bags sitting at the foot of the bed. Smiling at the nurse, she scribbled her name on the release papers and walked through open doors.

She found her car in the parking lot and tried to smile. She shoved the bags in her trunk and started the engine. She leant her head against the steering wheel for a moment, gathering her thoughts. An hour later, she pulled into the parking lot of the studio. She breezed through the doorway and walked into the office of her studio. She turned on the machines and grabbed her guitar out of the corner. She silently slipped into the studio and began recording.

Nate ran a hand through his hair, and buried his face in the other one. Jason stood, hesitantly. Nate's words were muffled. "You need to talk to her." Jason's face turned red.

"And say what, Nate? I'm sorry I ruined your life?" Jason scoffed. "Not happening."

"Look." Nate's voice hardened. "She believed you. She tried to freaking kill herself! Not once. Five times. Five. Times." Nate glanced at Jason. He was deadly pale.

"I..." Jason gulped. "I didn't know that." Nate hesitated before placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You...you said those words, Jase. It's time to fix it. Go make it right." Nate unconsciously echoed Mitchie's words to him. Jason nodded once.

"Wait." Jason's voice was hesitant. Nate turned to face him slowly. "I will...on one condition."

Mitchie finished the vocal track for the song she was recording. She sighed and leaned up against the glass. The machines whirred slowly as they began to shut down. She looked up, alarmed. Nate was leaning against the doorway, a serious expression on his face.

"Mitchie." Mitchie turned from Nate to find Jason just outside the door of the recording booth. She half-shrieked in surprise.

"You...you, ah, scared me." She stuttered out, unable to rip her eyes from Jason's face. He sighed. A tired look came into his eyes and he motioned her towards the couch. Mitchie sat.

"I..." Jason ripped his eyes from her as he sat beside her. "Look, I have no idea how to say this. But, I'm so sorry for what I did to you. When...Sh-...when he died I had so much anger." Jason gulped, but plowed forward. "And you were there. I knew you two had fought that night. Shane had told me that much. So I took it out on you." Jason hung his head in shame.

"I-" Mitchie began, but Jason quieted her with a glance.

"I'm sorry. I know you can't forgive me, but I am so sorry. Maybe...maybe someday we can be friends again." Jason finished slowly. His eyes glinted with guilt. He stood slowly. Before he could take a step, Mitchie's arms were around him from behind.

"I forgive you, Jase." She murmured into his shoulder. She released him and gave him a tenative smile when he turned around. He stood there mutely for a moment before wrapping her in his arms and sobbing like a baby. She held him tightly and her eyes welled up with tears. The door opened softly and she looked up to see Mr. and Mrs. Gray. Her eyes widened again, but Jason still held her tightly. She looked again and saw Nate standing behind them gazing at her sadly.

Jason finally released her. Mitchie suddenly found herself enveloped in the arms of Denise Gray. Mr. Gray stood behind her with a tenative hand on her shoulder. Mrs. Gray pulled away and gave Mitchie a teary smile and a kiss on the cheek. Wordlessly, Mitchie smiled back. Tears running down both their faces, the Grays left the room. She sat back on the couch, and buried her head in her hands.

Guitar music played softly over the speakers, and Nate's voice poured through them.

"_When I see your smile tears roll down my face I can't replace. And now that I'm strong I have figured out how this world turns cold and it breaks through my soul and I know I'll find deep inside me I can be the one. I will never let you fall. I'll stand up with you forever. I'll be there for you through it all, even if saving you sends me to heaven..._"

The song continued to play softly. Mitchie stood from the couch, and began to head for the door while sobbing softly. Suddenly, Nate's arms were around her, his lips on her forehead, and they were swaying together.

"Mitchie..." Nate whispered softly as she tried to push him away. "I love you, Princess." Mitchie's eyes met Nate's in surprise and he pulled her hands up to his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her waist and swayed her back and forth in time to the music.

"Nate, you didn't leave." Mitchie realized slowly. A tear ran down her cheek. "You didn't leave." Her hands tightened on his shoulders slightly. Nate kissed her forehead softly, and kissed her cheek. Then slowly he kissed her mouth. Tenative and slow. Mitchie hesitated a moment before kissing him back. Nate smiled into the kiss.

"_I will never let you fall. I'll stand up with you forever. I'll be there for you through it all. Even if saving you sends me to heaven. Cause you're my, you're my, my, my true love, my whole heart. Please don't throw that away. Cause I'm here for you. Please don't walk away and please tell me you'll stay. Stay._"

**A/N: I'm sad. I loved writing this story. Nitchie is one of my favorite pairings, and I could relate to Mitchie in so many ways. :') **

**I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed/alerted/favorited! You are greatly appreciated! I love knowing that people like what I write. I couldn't have finished this without you guy's encouragement.**

**Kudos to anyone who can name the songs used in the chapter titles! (all except two, they're from songs that I've written)**

**Again, thank you. I love you guys.**

**Review and tell me your favorite part of HTS!**


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